Confluence Investment Management

Suite 300
Saint Louis, MO 63119
Articles by Confluence Investment Management

The Increased Likelihood of a December Rate Hike
By Confluence Asset Management The latest FOMC meeting and subsequent comments from Chair Janet Yellen have increased the likelihood of a…
Mark KellerChief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer

Mark has more than 30 years of investment experience, with a focus on value-oriented equity analysis and management. From 1994 to May 2008, he was the Chief Investment Officer of Gallatin Asset Management, and its predecessor organization, A.G. Edwards Asset Management, the investment management arm of A.G. Edwards, Inc. From 1999 to 2008, Mark was Chairman of the A.G. Edwards Investment Strategy Committee, which set investment policy and established asset allocation models for the entire organization.
Mark began his career with A.G. Edwards in 1978, serving as an equity analyst for the firm's Securities Research Department from 1979 to 1994. During his last five years in Securities Research, Mark was Equity Strategist and manager of the firm's Focus List. Mark was a founding member of the A.G. Edwards Investment Strategy Committee, on which he served over 20 years, the last 10 years of which as Chairman of the Committee. Mark was a Senior Vice President of A.G. Edwards & Sons and of Gallatin Asset Management, and was a member of the Board of Directors of both companies. Mark received a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College (Illinois) and is a CFA charterholder.
Brian HansenPresident and Chief Operating Officer

Prior to founding Confluence in December 2007, Brian served as a Managing Director in the Financial Institutions & Real Estate investment banking practice at A.G. Edwards & Sons. While at A.G. Edwards, Brian provided financial advisory and capital markets services to companies operating in the asset management sector, commercial real estate companies, including real estate investment trusts and other real estate-oriented asset managers. Additionally, he assisted numerous asset managers with the development of innovative investment fund products in the real estate, energy and specialty finance sectors.
Before joining A.G. Edwards in 1999, Brian served as a manager at Arthur Andersen LLP, providing audit and business advisory services. Brian graduated magna cum laude from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and received his Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
William O'GradyExecutive Vice President and Chief Market Strategist

Bill joined Confluence in November 2008 and previously served as Vice President and Chief Investment Strategist for Wachovia Securities. As Chief Investment Strategist, Bill provided short-term asset allocation advice for Wachovia's Advisory Services Group. In addition, Bill managed Wachovia's Global Macro Asset Allocation program, an ETF-based alternative asset program. Prior to this, Bill served in a variety of positions in his 19-year tenure at A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. including Chief Global Investment Strategist, Assistant Director of Market Analysis, and Manager of Futures Research. Bill also served as a member of the A.G. Edwards Investment Strategy Committee. Prior to joining A.G. Edwards, Bill was the international economic and administrative officer of Mercantile Bank in St. Louis, developing country risk analyses for international lending activities.
In all, Bill has more than 20 years of experience following the energy, foreign exchange and futures markets. Bill is known for his geopolitical commentary along with his energy and currency background and is frequently quoted by such national media outlets as The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, CNBC, CBS News, Dow Jones News Service and Investor's Business Daily. Bill earned a Bachelor's degree in History and Public Administration from Avila College and a Master's degree in Economics from St. Louis University.